Solace for scrap car applicants

CHEATING... car exchange programme ended earlier. Even the accepted applications were rejected. Broken promise given. - 016-8796162

ON the scrap policy, is it possible for us to sue the dealer and the government for cheating us? - 012-3579672

I HAVE done my part of the bargain. I have bought the car and surrendered the registration card of my jalopy. Now, where is the promised RM5,000? To those who are in the same predicament, I intend to take legal action. Will you be with me? - 013-7603909

Proton's reply:

We have contacted the three complainants and have found that they each have different issues related to the Xchange programme.

Although two of the complainants’ applications were rejected, theirs were received between the 1st and 6th of November 2009 period.

Proton announced in late December last year that it is offering a special incentive scheme for applications received during the said period, in the form of RM2,000 discount off their new car purchases.

Both the complainants have been offered the said discount and while one of them have completed his purchase of a new Proton car, the other customer is now awaiting for her new car to be registered.

In mid-November last year, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung had announced in Parliament that the programme has been discontinued with effect from Nov 1 2009.

Since Proton had received an overwhelming response of 7,539 applications from the 1st to 6th of November 2009, which was when it took the initiative to stop the programme, Proton has decided to offer the 7,539 applicants a special incentive scheme for their new car purchases.

Since the initiative is not part of the Xchange programme, the customers do not have to surrender their old cars, but Proton will provide the necessary assistance in making arrangements with secondhand car dealers should they still wish to sell their old cars.

As for the third complainant, we found that there has been a misunderstanding in the application process.

Proton is currently making the necessary arrangements to resolve the matter with the customer.

Proton would like to call upon customers who had submitted their applications between 1st to 6th November to contact the outlets they have been dealing with to make further arrangements for the special incentive scheme.

Proton would also like to highlight that while this scheme is applicable to the purchases of any Proton cars, the cars must be registered by the 31st of January 2010.